Letter: Gov. Cuomo acted in defense of New Yorkers

I applaud Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature for their courage and commitment to public safety in passing the new restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The time for a well-armed citizen's militia to defend our country from invasion has passed; the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and the reserves carry out this function admirably. Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are designed for efficient killing, and as such they belong with the troops that are trained and disciplined in their use. Such weapons have no place in home defense.

We cannot all do everything that we think is fun. We don't drive at 100 miles per hour through school zones, we don't run our power boats at full speed through canals and swimming areas, and we should give up sport shooting with high-capacity magazines. If we must keep guns in our homes, then by limiting the guns to seven bullets or less in a magazine we can at least minimize the tragedy that ensues when these guns fall into the wrong hands.